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Thanks for visiting our website and learning about our charity that helps impoverished children stay in school.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Pick Me! Report


Pick Me! was a Great Success

Pick Me Summary:
We had a great time with “Pick Me!” We recruited 172 new pen pals, more than 60 students found new sponsors, and 150 people signed our newsletter list. $2,608 in cash was given with another $1,475 pledged for students. The total of pledges and cash was $4,083. Most were new sponsors or contributors. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. Our “Pick Me!” event was so successful that we are going to use the same theme and colors online with our website that is under construction. Several MSU students are working on our website as class projects. Jessica Garrish is again the lead designer.

Student Letter:
The students in China got excited also, sending letters and essays about themselves. I am featuring Huang Fu’s letter below. If he passes the national exam, you can help him with a $500 college scholarship.

My name is Huang Fu. These two years I get the help from Blessing Hands. I have many words want to express my thinking. Here only one word can use - thank you very much for you help!

I come from Guangxi’s 钦州灵山陆屋镇. Now I am studying in Qinzhou City No.1 Middle School. I am a senior 3 student (last year student). Two months after now our country will hold a 高考 (university exam). If I can pass, I can enter college. At that time I want to study in 广东工业大学 (Guangdong University of Technology) and learn 车辆工程 (engineering for automobiles). I will work hard. I forever remember I am a Blessing Hands student. After finishing college, I can help another because this is my job.

Thank you,
Huang Fu

National College Entrance Test:
The students in China are all under pressure preparing for the national college entrance test in June. We have over 60 applications from Qinzhou and Yangshuo. Maybe half of those will pass the test and be accepted by a college. They will need a scholarship at least for the first year. If you are sick and miss the testing days, you have to wait a full year to take the test again. Perhaps this test reminds you of the Emperor’s tests that selected civil servants in ancient China. Passing the test is very important, but you can pass and still have a problem getting accepted into a college, since too many students are all trying to apply.

I have asked our college applicants to write essays about themselves for their scholarship applications and to feature on our new website. When the site is finished, we plan to apply for a Google Advertising Grant and feature the students who are applying for college scholarships. Anna Liu in Qinzhou is encouraging students to come in on Sunday afternoons, their only free time, to do their college essays on her office computer. She sent me pictures of their computer sessions.

Send A kid To College:
We got 4 college scholarship pledges during pick me. Make it five! Maybe you are sponsoring a senior student already and naturally want to send them on to college. It would make their life. Do you want to send a kid to college? Just let us know your pledge by e-mail at: blessinghands@gmail.com.

On our blog, http://blessinghands.blogspot.com/, there is a Google Checkout donation button that allows you to give credit card donations, or you can donate directly by a button on our newsletter. You can always mail a check to Blessing Hands, 106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY 40351.

Blessings and thanks to all you great new sponsors,

Betty Cutts for Blessing Hands

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Pick Me! - Last Day


Pick Me! Last Day

We had a great time with the “Pick Me!” exhibit. The Chi Omega Sorority girls were “awesome”. They seemed to know everyone and could call them over to our table. Chrissy Miller, one of their freshmen members, even offered to help me record the last day’s list of those wanting pen pals and newsletters. That would have taken me two hours or more.


Two of the visiting scholars picked primary children for themselves. They are excited to correspond with their children and even go to see them in Yangshuo, which is not far from where they live.

Even the dogwood tree put out leaves during the two weeks. Once I plant it, I can always look at it and remember these days.


Two students offered to make movies for us. One is a production major, so I am looking forward to what he will create from our miscellaneous movies. A librarian initiated a fund drive for a college scholarship. The head of Johnson Carroll Library offered to match the highest donation given by her library staff.

We had contributions from online and through the mail as well. Jan Lewis sent me this e-mail.

I have started a little campaign to raise money to support another child through Blessing Hands. Yesterday I raised $50 and will raise more to go with that. I'm running a 1/2 marathon the first weekend in May, and will run for this child. I plan to select one and then put their name on back of my shirt. It will be a middle school student child, probably, and maybe a primary child, also.
I appreciate all that you have done to help these children. - Jan

Anna Liu, our Qinzhou administrator sent a letter of thanks. She has been a visiting scholar here and knows all about MSU.

I have read each email about the "Pick Me" you sent to me. I can imagine how hard you work, and I also know you enjoy it. How I wish I were there to help you and do the work together with you, just like we did last time for Yangshuo's art show. I also wish to say "Thank you" to those who come to the “Pick Me” campaign. I want to say “Thank You” to those Chinese students who help you to do the translation and the students from MSU. All of you have done a good job. I really appreciate what the people in Morehead do for Chinese students. Please tell them "Thanks" from Qinzhou, China. -- Anna Liu

Finally the students themselves have been writing.

Thank you for your help, I am very grateful to you, and I think God will bless you.
Yang Ping – Qinzhou No 1 middle School

To help others is the most beautiful in the world hope to resolve difficulties. Every day is a new start.
Yu Yanying








My Chinese name is Feng Chaojun, and Bamboo is my English name. I am one of the Blessing hands members studying in Guangxi University of Nationalities, China.

Blessing Hands asked us to be volunteers last term. Every time I did a good deed, I would take photos and told Blessing hands. I change a little this semester. We did a lot volunteering in March. The moment I saw an old poor woman shedding tears when visiting her, then I really understood what volunteers ment and why Blessing
Hands asked us to do that.

Maybe you do not know how much I cherish the life in University. Sometimes I think without Blessing Hands’ help, it would be difficult for me to concentrate on my study and work, since I would have to share my time to worry about my tuition.




Results of "Pick Me!"
I can’t give you the overall totals yet, but I think we have all our primary students sponsored, over 100 pen pal matches, three college scholarships, and over 36 new donors. If your club, church, or group would like to sponsor a child or have a speaker, I have posters, a PowerPoint, and enthusiasm and will travel.


http://picasaweb.google.com/blessinghands/ADUCPromotion has all the pictures taken during the exhibit.

The students who don’t have sponsors have pictures online at the following addresses. You can send the name of the child you picked to our Blessing Hands’ address at Zhufuzhishou@gmail.com, and I will tell you about the child you have chosen. Zhufuzhishou is Blessing Hands in Chinese.

Yangshuo High School Students without sponsors: http://picasaweb.google.com/blessinghands/YangshuoHighSchoolStudentsWithoutSponsors

Middle School Students without Sponsors:
http://picasaweb.google.com/blessinghands/LowerMiddleSchoolStudentsWithoutSponsors

College students in Yangshuo without sponsors:
http://picasaweb.google.com/blessinghands/ScholarshipApplicantsInYangshuo2008

For your convenience there is a Google Checkout donation button on our blog. We have this button with no charge to us on line until December 31, 2008.

Blessings,
Betty Cutts
blessinghands(at)gmail.com

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Pick Me! College Students

“Pick Me!”Students

Our “Pick Me!” event is turning out to be a lot of fun. The students in China are getting progress reports and sending letters to be included in our newsletter. The letter below is from a high school senior at No. 1 Higher Middle School in Qinzhou, China. He will soon be taking the all important college entrance exam. His score will determine if he goes to college and what quality of college will accept him. We have 22 Blessing Hands students who presently receive tuition for college. Already this year 30 students in Yangshuo alone have applied for our college tuition help. Here is his letter (with a little editing for spelling and punctuation).

I am Ling Daguan, and my Chinese name is 凌大冠 . I am a senior three student. I have already received the blessinghands' help for two years. Maybe I can't use any impressive words to express what it is in my heart. But I can say the blessinghands is my best home where there are many people with a kind heart, and they only thinking about us, thinking of our study and our future. I think everyone who knows about the blessinghands should do their effort to provide it. In the blessinghands' home I can learn not only about all over the world are members but also everyone with a kind heart. I hope everyone can give another a hand so there is a more beautiful world in years!

You can “Pick “a college student like Ling, and donate with the button for Google Checkout here or send a check to us. We take pledges too. Linda Brewer, who made our college poster for “Pick Me”, picked one for herself. She has pledged to sponsor a Yangshuo student, who is planning to be an English teacher, if she does well on the test and is accepted into college. We ask $250 a semester for our college students’ sponsorship. If that is a little steep for you, ask your church, club, sorority or fraternity to sponsor a student with you.

Linda is a talented artist, who has a studio at the Rowan County Arts Center. Drop in and see the lovely water colors and prints hanging in her studio. Some of them are for sale. There is also an exhibit of the works of local artist at the Arts Center now. Linda and I have been friends a long time. She taught me how to paint in watercolors. Linda hopes to have a Chinese granddaughter when her son and daughter-in-law’s application is processed to adopt an orphan.

Brandon is “picking “a student to write as a pen pal. We have recruited 68 new pen pals in three days for our students. The W. Paul and Lucille Little Foundation has given a grant for sister schools and pen pal exchanges for two years. You can be a pen pal too. Just let us know your desire, and we will send you a pen pal card in the mail.

Meg Glancy created a Sister School poster to show some of the activities between schools in Rowan County and the Yangshuo and Qinzhou area of China. The schools are sending boxes of gifts once a year and pen pal exchange letters twice a semester.

Meg is planning to attend college soon herself. She loves to make scrapbooks. We had a great time making posters together at my home. She donated not only her time but materials. Her mother, who is also an artist, helped her make the dogwood flowers.
During our “Pick Me!” event you will be getting progress reports, but later the mail will not be so often. Please don’t think we will snow you under with news like this all the time. Right now we are recruiting sponsors for our kids for the fall semester. If you are getting the newsletter by mail and would like to have it online, please let us know your e-mail address. If you are getting it on line and would rather have it by regular mail, please let us know that too. We always like to save a stamp, but we don’t want to cut anyone out of participation. Zhu fu zhi shou is the Chinese Romanized word for Blessing Hands. You may see that on our e-mail. Since half of our readers get the letter in Chinese, we like to make them understand who we are too. It is still us, Blessing Hands.

Blessings and Joy,

Betty Cutts, founder and president of Blessing Hands.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

"Pick Me!" Second Day

Pick a Primary Student

26 primary kids have sponsors now! The president of Morehead State University, Dr. Wayne Andrews, even came by our table and selected a primary boy to support. We only have 18 primary students who still need sponsors at $20 a year.

Two commitments and a pledge came in by internet. Anny in Taiwan sent in money for a primary child by pay pal. You far flung friends can take part in our “Pick Me!” event also. You can make a pledge if you don’t have the money now. Just e-mail us at Blessinghands@gmail.com.
One person didn’t want to get involved with letter writing or know the students, but they wanted to help. If you don’t want to commit yourself to a student, you can contribute to the general fund that supports students without sponsors.

These are new supporters we have not had before. We have 53 new pen pal matches as well - some by e-mail and others by slow mail. The children will be thrilled to get a letter from America. The high school students can’t write e-mail often because of their heavy studies and lack of access to computers, but I love to get e-mail from them. These students were waiting to sign up for a pen pal when we arrived yesterday.

The primary “Pick Me!” poster was created by Nancy Sartor, a local artist. She has done two posters for us in traditional poster style. She has done posters for years and also loves to quilt.

We are also meeting people willing to volunteer. This student offered to do a online Youtube presentation for Blessing Hands. I am getting pictures and music ready for her to edit. Some are interested in teaching English in China. Teachers offered to tell the clubs they sponsor about our table and encourage them to come see our exhibit.

You can forward this to people you think might be interested in our kids. Just click forward at the bottom of these e-mails. Help us reach more people interested in helping students in China.

You can view kids who don't have sponsors yet at the following links.

Yangshuo High School Students without sponsors:








Primary kids are being featured today. Pick one!
Thanks,

Betty Cutts

Xu Lijuan